The present invention is directed toward the art of cup dispensers and, more particularly, to a new and non-obvious diaphragm-type cup dispenser assembly and method of manufacturing same. The subject cup dispenser is particularly convenient and cost-effective to manufacture and assemble, and is also easy to install and remove as required for cleaning and other purposes.
Cup dispensers of the type under consideration are commonly employed in fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to maintain a supply of paper, plastic, foam, and/or other disposable cups near beverage or soft-serve frozen food dispensing equipment for use as required. The dispensers typically comprise a storage tube or cylinder that holds a telescopically interfitted stack of cups. A resilient diaphragm with an open central portion is placed across an open end of the storage tube, and the closed end or bottom of the outermost cup projects outwardly through the open central portion of the diaphragm. The cups in the stack are larger in cross-sectional dimension than the opening in the diaphragm and, thus, the diaphragm resiliently grips the outermost cup and prevents same from passing beyond the diaphragm. This, then, also prevents any other cups in the stack from exiting the storage tube through the opening in the diaphragm.
To dispense a cup, a user simply pulls the exposed outermost cup so that the diaphragm distends/dilates sufficiently to allow this cup to pass through the diaphragm opening. As the outermost cup is pulled from the stack, the diaphragm grips the next or adjacent cup in the stack and prevents same from passing through the diaphragm opening until a user pulls same with sufficient force. The cup dispenser can be mounted with the diaphragm located at a lower end of the storage tube so that the cups are gravity-fed toward the diaphragm, or can be mounted at any other angle as desired. In some cases, it is necessary and convenient to use a spring or the like to bias the stack of cups toward the diaphragm so that the bottom of the outermost cup always projects through the opening defined in the diaphragm. These diaphragm-type cup dispensers have enjoyed widespread commercial success, and are available from Tomlinson Industries, Modular Dispensing Systems Division, Cleveland, Ohio 44125.
Heretofore, diaphragm cup dispensers of the type described have typically used metal, such as stainless steel, to define the cup storage tube. The use of stainless steel is desirable in light of its combination of durability and corrosion resistance. Unfortunately, the use of stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metals adds significant expense to these cup dispensers, both in terms of material costs and labor.
Furthermore, a need has been identified for a new and improved method of manufacturing a diaphragm-type cup dispenser. Specifically, it has been deemed desirable to develop and method of manufacturing a diaphragm-type cup dispenser in a manner that eliminates the requirement for tools during the assembly process.
In accordance with the present invention, a novel and non-obvious cup dispenser and a method of manufacturing same are provided. The dispenser comprises a blow-molded plastic storage tube, and a blow-molded plastic cup pushing member or follower positioned within the tube and preferably spring biased toward an open first end of the tube away from a closed, second end of the tube. In the preferred embodiment, a conventional coil spring is placed within the tube between the closed tube end and the cup pushing member to bias the cup pushing member toward the open end of the storage tube. A conventional resilient diaphragm is positioned over the open end of the cup storage tube or other suitable cup retaining means are employed for releasably retaining a telescopically interfitted stack of cups in the storage tube. The diaphragm or other cup retaining means regulates the passage of individual cups out of the open first end of the storage tube.
The blow-molded storage tube can be defined with any desired or convenient cross-sectional shape and can include a plurality of bosses that project radially outward from an outer surface of the storage tube in the region of the open end of the tube. These bosses are preferably each defined in the storage tube during the tube molding operation. An annular collar is arranged coaxial with and fitted to the storage tube in the region of the projecting bosses. A cylindrical portion of the collar includes or defines a plurality of apertures or recesses that, owing to the natural resiliency of the tube, respectively engage the bosses with a snap-fit. Accordingly, the collar is releasably yet fixedly secured to the storage tube in an operative position. The collar includes a flange projecting radially outward therefrom, and this flange preferably defines plural key-slots that are used for mounting the dispenser assembly in a cabinet or to another mounting structure.
The cup dispenser is preferably installed in a cabinet or other mounting location by forming an opening in the cabinet sufficiently large and deep to accept the storage tube. The closed, second end of the storage tube is positioned in the cabinet opening, and the storage tube is inserted into the cabinet a sufficient distance so that the radial flange of the collar abuts a surface of the cabinet or other mounting structure. Screws or other suitable fasteners are used to fixedly secure the flange of the collar to the cabinet, preferably by way of the key-slots that allow the dispenser to be removed from the cabinet by simply loosening the screws and rotating the dispenser to disengage the flange from the screws.
The cup storage tube and the cup pushing member or follower are preferably blow-molded together in a single operation as a one-piece construction from conventional food-grade polyvinyl chloride or another suitable plastic material. After the molding operation, the cup pushing member is severed or otherwise separated from the cup storage tube (along with any other extraneous projections formed as a byproduct of the molding operation). In this manner, the blow molding presses are operated at optimal efficiency, and the overall cost of molding the cup dispenser assembly is reduced.
One advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel and non-obvious diaphragm-type cup dispenser.
Another advantage of the present invention is found in the provision of a cup dispenser assembly that is defined from molded plastic and that is easy to manufacture.
A further advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a low-cost and durable cup dispenser assembly, the capacity of which can be easily adjusted in the field to fit into a shallow depth mounting location.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a lower cost cup dispenser.
A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a cup dispenser assembly that includes a snap-fit removable mounting collar.
A yet further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an improved method for manufacturing a cup dispenser assembly, wherein the dispenser assembly is assembled without screws and similar fasteners.
Another advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a method for manufacturing a diaphragm-type cup dispenser assembly, wherein the cup storage tube and cup pushing member are molded from a plastic material as a one-piece construction and later separated for assembly of the cup dispenser.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains upon reading and understanding the following specification.